Man arrested for DUI, fleeing after police chase and crash in Salt Lake County

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah -- Police have arrested a man on charges that include DUI and fleeing the scene of an accident after a chase that involved a crash in Salt Lake County Sunday.

Unified Police say 39-year-old Braulio Rios-Morales called dispatch over and over from the parking lot of a Smith's grocery store in Kearns Sunday.

"Just with a slew of suicidal comments, sounded like he was intoxicated on some type of substance," said Unified Police Lieutenant Brian Lohrke.

When police responded, he said the man fled but the calls and suicidal threats to dispatch continued.

"He mentioned at one point he was at the Smith`s Markeplace, he mentioned he was at the Callaway Apartments, and we eventually located him at the West Valley Wells Fargo bank at Valley Fair Mall," Lt. Lohrke said.

When police responded the second time, Lohrke said, the man again fled and a police chase ensued.

The man collided with a civilian vehicle on 3500 South at the intersection of the southbound I-215 on-ramp, but kept going.

Faatea Tautaiolefue said the suspect car came fast out of nowhere and hit him right in the front of his vehicle. The impact took off one of his front tires, and he ended up skidding across the intersection.

"I try to open my door, it was stuck though, and people come and try to help me and I said, 'I`m okay,'" he recounted.

Tautaiolefue said the driver then sped up, with police behind him.

"He didn't even stop, he kept going," he said.

Officers eventually performed a PIT maneuver in the area of 4100 South and 1800 West, and disabled the suspect's vehicle.

"They felt that he posed an imminent risk to public at that point because of the comments he made, and because of his driving pattern," Lt. Lohrke explained.

Rios-Morales was booked into jail and faces charges of DUI, felony fleeing, fleeing the scene of an accident and reckless driving.

Tautaiolefue said he's thankful he didn't suffer any injuries in the crash.